Former President Donald Trump appears unable to shake his fixation on Barack and Michelle Obama.
On his Truth Social platform, Trump repeatedly targets the Obamas with scathing remarks and racist memes.
On Sunday he did it again, sharing a manipulated image of the Obamas smiling and waving from the top of Air Force One’s staircase, with graffiti smeared across the blue-and-white fuselage.
The spray-painted comments included the Democrat’s 2006 campaign slogan “Yes We Can” written in bright yellow bubble letters, the acronym “BLM,” for Black Lives Matter, and the Arabic phrase “alhamdulillah,” which means “praise be to God” or “thank God,” according to The Associated Press.
The way Trump used the graffiti is a coded racist trope meant to evoke urban blight and crime in majority Black cities and neighborhoods.
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That Obsession Simply Won’t Fade Away
Social media erupted in outrage over Trump’s bigotry.
“Horrible racist pig,” wrote one Threads user in anger.
One X user summed it up: “Trump’s latest post: a doctored image of the Obamas and a vandalized Air Force One. Different day, same obsession.”
Earlier in February, just as Black History Month began, Trump openly posted an AI-generated video depicting the Obamas as apes, provoking widespread condemnation and anger, even from his Republican allies in Congress; he was forced to remove the post, though he offered no apology.
“Obama stays on his mind like a slighted ex-girlfriend,” another Threads user joked.
This post referred to a remark the former president once made, “As President Obama said… he has a suite residence in that (orange emoji here) head.”
Deep-Seated Jealousy
In May, a resentful Trump circulated an image of Obama’s Chicago Presidential Center with a garbage bag draped over the top, surrounded by what appeared to be a homeless encampment, and the caption, “The Barack Hussein Obama Library, in 10 years, when fully matured!”
The 44th president’s $850 million Presidential Center opened late last month amid praise and accolades, with a star-studded unveiling that eclipsed Trump’s own 80th UFC birthday bash at the White House.
Others weighed in on Trump’s latest jab at Obama. “So when people say that this man isn’t racist, what exactly are they referring to? Because from where I stand, this man is racist as can be. He is so deeply unserious.”
Of course, Trump still has a sizeable coalition of white nationalist MAGA supporters who piled on with their own racist comments, including right-wing media executive Eric Daugherty, who wrongly accused Obama of being a “traitor.”
“UPDATE: President Trump just posted Barack Hussein Obama as the president of ISLAMISM and BLM. He was a traitor, 47 is STILL fixing his mistakes!”
Another X user chimed in, “Racist? I think mainstream media is racist.”
This one attempted to defend Trump’s post, “He’s an artist. Some won’t understand.”
An Expensive Power Move
The significance of Trump’s latest racist Obama post centers around a lavish jet Trump shamelessly accepted from Qatar, turning it into a new Air Force One, which he plans to take with him when he leaves office.
For the retrofitted $400 million Boeing 747-800, Trump ditched the traditional blue-and-white scheme, which helped it blend in with the sky, for a red-and-navy-blue color scheme with golden stripes.
He’s been under withering scrutiny for accepting such a costly gift, which clearly has unknown strings attached.
